The battle of Harbaugh ended familiarly, with Jim Harbaugh and his Chargers ending up on the losing side against John Harbaugh’s Ravens. The Bolts needed to play a perfect game but they were the opposite today, committing several mistakes and allowing Baltimore to score freely.
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Offensively, they looked stagnant, unable to run the ball, creating a long field for themselves, with receivers dropping crucial passes, particularly the much-maligned Quentin Johnston. However, instead of throwing Johnston under the bus, Jim and QB Justin Herbert both defended him, showing their faith in him.
Harbaugh acknowledged that the responsibility for the team’s loss remains collectively with everyone, emphasizing that each member, including himself, could have performed better:
“I think we all have some things we wish we played, coached better. That’s how I feel. That’s my reaction.”
Herbert noted that Johnston has consistently motivated and supported him, especially after mistakes like interceptions or overthrown passes, encouraging him to stay focused and move forward. Herbert expressed his commitment to doing the same for his wide receiver:
“He’s done an incredible job all year. Just like when I throw an interception or when I miss a throw, he’s gonna come up to me and tell me, ‘Hey, it’s the next play’. And that’s the way it is. I can give him better placement, and better balls. It’s on all of us. It’s not just on him. I’m gonna keep throwing him the ball.”
Trailing by just a single touchdown, the Chargers were on their 30-yard line and needed to convert 3rd& 6 Herbert threw a newer perfect pass to the wide-open Johnston. Unfortunately, Johnston dropped the crucial pass.
Quentin Johnston with a BRUTAL drop pic.twitter.com/ekoGBWmn1d
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) November 26, 2024
Instead, they had to punt and the Ravens extended their lead to 14 points on the next drive. There was never a way back from there for the Bolts.
The Chargers Head Coach gave his brother’s team their flowers but promised to learn from this and come back stronger.
Harbaugh reacts to the loss against the Ravens
Harbaugh praised Baltimore as the better team on the night, commending them for executing their game plan flawlessly. He acknowledged that his team was outplayed by a tough and superior opponent.
However, he identified their flaws and strengths, emphasizing that they would learn from the experience. With plenty of the season remaining, he expressed confidence that his team would regroup and come back stronger.
“I think just overall they executed and were the better team tonight across the board. More importantly, I know what we’re capable of. We’ll regroup. But they were the better team today.”
The Bolts are now 7-4 for the season but are still hanging on the 2nd place in the division and remain in contention for the playoffs. They will take on the NFC South leader, the Atlanta Falcons in week 13.
